Friends of the Middle River

FOMR Committee Meeting - 11/15

2011-11-13T15:24:00.008-05:00

A reminder to the Steering Committee...

FOMR Steering Committee Meeting
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2011
Time: 6pm
Location:
Riley & Ann Murray's Home
Meadow Springs Farm
2075 Long Meadow Rd.
Waynesboro, VA 22980

Annual Middle River Clean-Up - 2011 - Photos

2011-10-19T22:08:00.005-04:00

River Clean Up with Fort Defiance HS students

2011-10-15T05:25:00.004-04:00

10/7/11

Our clean up day was on Bald Rock Road. I think today's event was nothing short of a success. The kids were very enthusiastic and they worked together very well with little need for supervision. Two teachers were there to help out. I think everything went very well.

The kids found some very interesting stuff, computers, flat screen tv, a rather large wooden boat. But the thing I think everyone was most surprised about, was we found a car upside down in the river. Apparently, it has been there sometime, as tree's are growing out of it.

In all about 25 bags of trash deposited into the dumpster, the boat was taken to the dump. The weather was beautiful.

I went down to the Sheriffs office to report it, and they dispatched a fire and rescue vehicle, which is apparent county procedure. Even though I told them it had been there for sometime.

I am not sure if anyone will do anything to remove this car, I have included a picture where you can see a couple of tires. It appears all four are on the car still.

12 Students from Fort Defiance high school listed below along with their

participating group they represented are listed below:

Allison Alexander Key Club

Chelsey Hensley National Honors Society
Janelly Lopez National Honors Society

Jessica Stiek Key Club
Samantha Lamas Key Club

Angela Sheffer Key Club/ Ecology Club
Zack Gurkin Natural Resources

Steve Carter Key Club
Sam Carter Natural Resources

Patrick Wadi Natural Resources/Ecology/Envirothon
L. Tober Envirothon/Senior Project

Alden Hough Envirothon/Natural Resources
Brent Hull Envirothon

Bill Knarr

2nd Annual Columbus Day Middle River Cleanup - Oct. 10th

2011-09-19T19:00:00.002-04:00

Who: Friends of Middle River

What: 2nd Annual Columbus Day Middle River Cleanup

Where: Meet at Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries office in Verona for breakfast and instructions

When: 8 am - early afternoon on October 10

Why: Our river needs it!

Also: Bring your own canoe, paddles, PFD's, gloves, and water. We will supply float assignments and trash bags. Dress for cool weather!

Contact Paul Bugas @ DGIF if you have questions. Paul.Bugas@dgif.virginia.gov

Trout loves their cool water

2011-09-19T18:49:00.006-04:00

Keeping trout out of hot water
Sensors to record temperature hourly to protect fish

By Spencer Dennis - Newsleader - Staunton, VA

If you see a black cylinder in local headwaters, about five inches long and two inches in diameter, don't try to retrieve it.
It looks like kind of like a flashlight, and is stamped "HOBO proV2" — but it's not a submerged flashlight; it's a water temperature sensor.
And it's there to make sure trout aren't, ahem, getting into hot water.
Trout are cold-water fish. The sensors, which record the water's temperature every hour and hold one year's worth of data, are helping the DGIF determine which waterways are cold enough to support a trout-stocking program, and which trout populations are in dangerously warm water.

Read the full story at the Newsleader

Learn More Virginia DGIF Wild Trout Program

Tips for green living

2011-09-19T18:42:00.002-04:00

... learned on trip to Hungary

By Bruce Dorries (a FOMR)

Sibling rivalry isn't always a bad thing. Take for example the relationship between the Queen City and our sister city in Hungary.
From what I saw during a visit to Dabas this summer, we're running a little behind our East European international partner. When it comes to some forms of energy conservation and pursuing sustainable lifestyles, Dabas leads. Its citizens have much smaller environmental footprints.
A town of 17,000, Dabas is 45 km/28 miles from the nation's capital, Budapest. A broad plain of productive farmland — verdant with corn, sunflowers and other row crops — surrounds the town. About 70,000 people in rural county turn to Dabas for support services.
Sounds like Staunton.
Read the rest of the story at the Newsleader

Mark Your Calendar - MR Clean Up - Oct 10th

2011-09-06T12:58:00.002-04:00

Please mark your calendars for our next annual Middle River Clean Up on October 10th.

Stay tuned for more details to come...

Virginia to ban phosphorous in lawn fertilizer

2011-09-06T12:44:00.005-04:00

STAUNTON — 08/20/11 - Less lush lawns should mean less pressure on farmers — or so Virginia's governor hopes.

Virginia will ban lawn-care fertilizers containing phosphorous after Dec. 31, 2013, hoping to cut the flow of the potent plant food into the Chesapeake Bay, where it's been linked to cause massive dead zones, while at the same time avoiding imposing another regulatory burden on farmers.

full story by Spencer Dennis at Newsleader

Beaver Colony Search

2010-12-04T13:17:00.000-05:00

A friend has recently developed an interest in the natural history of our local largest rodent, Castor canadensis. I led her to a copy of Lily Pond: Four Years with a Family of Beavers by Hope Ryden (good read, recommended, Massanutten Public Library). Now, my friend is wanting to see some real-life beavers.

That would have been easy last year as there was a dam and lodge just across the road from me on Moffett Branch Creek. The beavers carefully clipped a number of the young hardwoods my neighbor had planted in his marsh-- much to his chagrin. But whether the food source was inadequate, the mink ran them out, or other factors drove them off, by the time of the winter flood, their dam was destroyed and I saw no effort to repair or rebuild. They moved on.

Now I am seeking your help to find a new, active colony that my friend and I can visit to observe and photograph. Have you had spottings of beaver or recent beaver sign in all of your wanderings, folks? We’re not limiting ourselves to the Middle River watershed. I’d be interested in any possibilities in Augusta or Rockingham County.

Just where are our beaver neighbors? Please email me with your sightings or hunches…goatherderkate@yahoo.com.

May you have many opportunities for excursions into nature this holiday season. Enjoy!

Kate

Clean Up Day - Slide show from Ann Cline

2010-12-02T09:47:00.003-05:00

Follow this hyperlink to a great Kodak Gallery slide show by Ann Cline from the
October 11th event.

Middle River Clean Up Day

Pickin' and Grinnin'

2010-10-12T16:02:00.003-04:00

Friends: The first (annual?) Columbus Day Cleanup of Middle River was a resounding success. The day was perfect, the river beautiful, and the friendship evident. Around 25 volunteers used canoes and kayaks to pick trash from 10 miles of Middle River, from Spring Hill to Laurel Hill. We SAFELY floated through our reaches and picked up 3/4 ton of commercial waste. Additionally, 52 tires are now residing in the Augusta Regional Landfill, not in Middle River. We know that there is more to do, but that's for another day and time. Several of us spotted deer, kingfishers, blue herons, and a bald eagle during our respective floats. I can tell you that I was amazed at the serenity and beauty of Middle River in the Spring Hill area. All in all, a job well done. Thanks and congratulations! Paul

Reminder: Splash for Trash - Middle River Clean Up

2010-10-09T08:08:00.003-04:00

To all Friends of the Middle River -- an important reminder

Don’t forget to come out for the first annual “Splash for Trash and Clean Up the Middle River” affair.

When: Monday October 11 9:00 am

Where: Department of Game and Inland Fisheries - Verona (just NORTH of the Verona Post Office)

Bring a canoe if possible, a personal flotation device. We will supply the rest: coffee, donuts, juice and water ... AND new FOMR BUMPER STICKERS (see new logo attached).

We will get a briefing, trash bags and gloves and be assigned certain sections of the river between Springhill and Laurel Hill.

You should be done by 1:00pm

It should be fun and a beautiful day to clean the middle ... so come join us

Hope to see you there. questions? call 248-5692 or 292-7244

David Fuller - Head Splasher

READ MORE ... Bruce Dorries article in News Leader : Group offers you a chance to help clean a river

Our blog: http://friendsofmiddleriver.blogspot.com/

EPA Public Meeting - Bay TMDL - Oct 4th

2010-10-03T20:04:00.008-04:00

The USEPA has announced a schedule of 18 Public Meetings throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed this fall to discuss the draft Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). The meetings will be held from late September to early November. One meeting in each state will be accessible online via webinar. Complete information on the meetings, including dates, times, venues, directions and webinar registration links can be found on the Bay TMDL web site:

http://www.epa.gov/chesapeakebaytmdl.

The Bay TMDL will set binding limits on nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment pollution to meet clean water standards for the Bay and its tidal tributaries and help restore local rivers and streams.

***************
October 4 - from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Grafton Theatre, James Madison University, 281 Warren Service Drive, Harrisonburg, VA
Get parking directions

***************
Note that your comments will not be recorded at the meeting. In order to have your input entered into the public record, you must submit comments in writing. The website to do so is:

http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#docketDetail?R=EPA-R03-OW-2010-0736

When you’re on the page, click on the blue “thought bubble” – it’s easy to miss unless you’re looking for it. A new window will open up to enable you to write and submit your comments.

River Cleanups

2010-08-21T21:20:00.002-04:00

Hello Friends: There are two river cleanups planned for this fall. Please read below and see if you have the time and inclination to pull trash out of two of our local rivers. Last year, we had 50 volunteers that cleaned 2 tons of trash and over 100 tires out of South River. This year, we'll try it again on South River on 9/11 and then do Middle River on Columbus Day. If you are interested, please contact Paul Bugas via e-mail. Thanks. Paul

South River and Middle River Cleanup Days 2010

Who: DGIF, DEQ, DCR, JMU, UVA, Trout Unlimited, Riverfest, URS, Augusta-Rockingham Monitors, Izaak Walton League, Friends of Middle River, and individual volunteers

What: Pick up trash from South River from Waynesboro to Port Republic
Pick up trash from Middle River from Spring Hill to Verona

When: Saturday, September 11, 2010 from 9 am to finish for South River
Monday, October 11, 2010 from 9 am to finish for Middle River

Where: Meet at Dominion Shelter at Constitution Park in Waynesboro for South R.
Meet at DGIF office in Verona for Middle River

Why: 9/11 is a National Day of Service and Remembrance (plus our rivers need cleaning!) Go to: www.serve.gov for more details

Details:

1. We will divide each river into segments or reaches and assign a team to cover that reach. Teams will be responsible for shuttling their own vehicles. Teams can leave their segment when the job is complete (no end-of-day rally point).

2. Each team will bring the following: watercraft (preferably canoes), paddles, PFD’s, rope, tongs, lunch, and water bottles for all individuals. Breakfast will be provided on 9/11 only. Water, ice, gloves and plastic bags will be provided to the volunteers by the organizers. Teams will float, wade, or walk from their assigned starting points to their take out points, collecting trash and placing it in their watercraft. Trash will be hauled to designated take-out points, where a land crew will pick it up later. 5. Team Leaders:

Main contact: Paul Bugas, paul.bugas@dgif.virginia.gov
DGIF Team: Jason Hallacher, jason.hallacher@dgif.virginia.gov (
DEQ Team: Calvin Jordan, William.jordan@deq.virginia.gov (410-507-4880)
JMU Team: Billy Flint, flintwd@jmu.edu (No cell available)
TU Team: Urbie Nash or Tommy Lawhorne, tslawhor@cfw.com (Dubose E.)
Riverfest Team: Linda Matkins, ljm790@northern.dss.state.va.us (540-383-8229)
Augusta River Monitors: Tom Long, twlong@northriver.coop (540-292-9180)

3. If the river levels are deemed too high or dangerous weather is predicted the team leaders will let their personnel know via e-mail that the event has been cancelled on September 10, 2010 or October 10, 2010. Safety is paramount. This is a volunteer event, so everyone who participates does so at their own risk. Dead animals and hazardous materials will be left alone. Sharp items, extremely heavy items, or dangerous items will be collected at the discretion of the team leader. Private property must be respected.

Chesapeake Clean Water Act Moves to Full Senate Vote

2010-07-15T21:06:00.004-04:00

(WASHINGTON, D.C.)—Chesapeake Bay Foundation President William C. Baker issued this statement following passage of the Chesapeake Clean Water and Ecosystem Restoration Act by the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works with strong bipartisan support. It will now move to consideration by the full Senate.

"The Chesapeake Clean Water and Ecosystem Restoration Act is the most important legislation for Bay restoration in decades. It will replace the failed cleanup efforts of the past with accountability, milestones, and consequences for failure. The legislation affirms the science-based pollution limits that are being established by the EPA, the watershed states, and the District of Columbia through the judicially-ordered Total Maximum Daily Load, and allows each jurisdiction to decide how best to achieve those limits. It also authorizes generous new funding to help local jurisdictions attack the expensive task of reducing urban and suburban runoff and creates an important new source of revenue for farmers and landowners."

from CBF

Fish Kill Update - Spring 2010

2010-06-06T10:25:00.007-04:00

This year's spring fish mortality event on the South Fork Shenandoah appears to be on the light side with anglers reporting seeing a few (2-10 on avg.) deceased adult smallmouth bass over a several mile section of river. This is similar to what was observed in spring 2009. The percentage of smallmouth bass and sunfish showing signs of disease (10-25%) at individual locations is also similar to previous years.

From DGIF Spring 2010 Update

USDA Announces Next CSP Deadline - June 11, 2010

2010-05-11T22:36:00.000-04:00

WASHINGTON, May 10, 2010 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that landowners nationwide are invited to apply for U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). Authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill, CSP offers payments to producers who maintain a high level of conservation on their land and who agree to adopt higher levels of stewardship. Eligible lands include cropland, pastureland, rangeland and non-industrial forestland. The deadline to be considered for the next ranking and funding period is June 11, 2010.

full post at USDA

FOMR Goes Public - Earth Day Staunton!

2010-04-20T18:51:00.006-04:00

4/17/10 - What a great day we had at Staunton Earth Day! Special thanks to Patti Shulman for the terrific graphic display board, the best looking most informative one of all participants. And thank you Terry Shulman for the questions /answers to educate young and old at the fish pond. Speaking of which, Ann Cline, the fish pond was a big hit, one of the few hands-on exhibits that were available for kids of all ages to play with and learn from. We had no near drownings but a few kids got wet and one of them managed to make off with a fish. Please thank your fish maker for us and let him know that the exhibit will be used again next week by Sandy Greene at a school. Darrell Schwalm, your display of river creatures was a great success, a wonderful interactive teaching tool that surely stimulated kids to learn to love and protect our rivers and marine life. Nesha McCrae, we missed you but thank you for the maps, table and data. Bruce Dorrie, thanks for your support(water, kayak), creative ideas and participation with Terry, Patti and me in signing up more than 36 new members/families. We received valuable feedback for the official logo, made some excellent contacts for volunteers and planning and partnering. I could not be more pleased.

We will discuss the event at the next Steering committee meeting on the 27th. Again, many thanks for all you did to make the Friends of The Middle River a relevant, energetic organization with a worthy mission.

David Fuller
FOMR Steering Committee Chair

photos by Darrell Schwalm

Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Workshop for FOMR - 3/22 4pm

2010-03-21T11:26:00.005-04:00

Hi folks,

Here's a great opportunity to learn more about your river, and the stream critters that live in the riffles - like mayflies (which only live a day or two as adults in the air, but are lovely "canaries of the stream" as gilled nymphs under the rocks for the rest of their lives), or caddisflies of various sorts, (who may either catch their prey underwater in nets they weave from their own silk, or build case-houses of pebbles or sticks in a particular pattern, glued with their silk - and then, after spinning a cocoon, emerge as moths!) Or like the dragonfly nymph whose photo is attached!

By learning to identify these macro-invertebrates in a stream, and practicing a prescribed protocol, you can become a certified stream monitor in the Save Our Streams program. Darrell Schwalm is a Friend of the Middle River who lives in Staunton, and is a certified trainer in this program. He will begin a workshop on March 22nd (next Monday!) at the USDA Building of the Augusta County Government Center from 4-6 PM.

The program is free.

This Monday is the indoors introduction to the method and the critters, with a followup session on the stream the following Monday, March 29th, also from 4-6. For those of you who are already familiar with the insects and crustaceans you will be counting,(this is for you trout fishermen!) you may wish to join in at the stream and skip the intro session. Just e-mail back, and we'll include you in the directions to the site for next Monday. And...if you're interested but just can't make this session, let us know, and we'll keep you on a list for the next time around.

As monitoring sites are determined, and new monitors have a chance to practice, you will have a chance to become certified yourself, and can help contribute to the knowledge base and trends of the Middle River in a meaningful way!

Thanks for befriending the Middle River!

Sandy Greene
Headwaters SWCD
PO Box 70
Verona, VA 24482

Sandy.Greene@va.nacdnet.net

FOSR - Water Monitor Program

2010-03-21T11:15:00.003-04:00

From FOSR:

The "backbone" of the Friends of the Shenandoah River (FOSR) Water Monitor Program is our monitors. Twice a month, over 80 dedicated monitors take approximately 150 water samples covering 7 counties in the Shenandoah Valley. Each county has a lead monitor who is responsible for training new monitors, coordinating sampling dates and providing updated information from the FOSR lab. If you would like to become a part of the FOSR monitoring team in your area, please contact the following lead monitor:

Lead Monitors - The Three Rivers Monitors: (3RM) North, South and Middle Rivers

Paul Bugas 540-248-9371

Sandy Greene 540-234-9336

Bruce Wiggins (North River) 540-568-6196

FOSR invites all citizens who are concerned about the Shenandoah River to become a river monitor.

Bay Clean Water Act - Where Do Our Represenatives Stand?

2010-03-21T10:48:00.006-04:00

Where do our representatives stand on the Chesapeake Clean Water and Ecosystem Restoration Act?

A message from Virginia League of Conservation Voters

2010-03-03T21:51:00.002-05:00

Protect Clean Water and the Environment
Urge Support for the Senate Budget Proposal

Go here to make your voice heard. Virginia Legislative Action Center

We have asked you in recent weeks to urge the Virginia State Senate to avoid a "cuts only" approach to balancing the budget. After an overwhelming response from members of groups like ours, the State Senate has responded with a responsible budget that attempts to avoid cuts to programs that protect the environment along with other core services like education and health care.

2010-03-01T23:49:00.002-05:00

Best citizen action meeting I've ever attended! I can't believe how folks just picked up their team and their tasks and charged off to work! Thanks so much to everyone who also committed to helping with the April 17th Earth Day Staunton & April 12th Trout Release for Dixon Elementary. I didn't get the SOS macroinvertebrate workshop signup sheet back, but I remember two folks who signed up for those, and will be in touch. Headwaters and the Natural Resources Conservation Service have lots of ways to volunteer for water quality, if you still have more energy for the Middle River. Thanks Riley and the Data Dogs for this blog!

Middle River in the Fall

2010-03-01T07:55:00.006-05:00

Thanks to all of you for a successful kickoff meeting for the Friends of the Middle River. I thought you all might enjoy some photos of the river in Swoope from this past fall.

It has begun...

2010-02-27T09:14:00.000-05:00

Terrific meeting last night to kick off the "Friends of Middle River"!! Congratulations to David Fuller for becoming the chair of the steering committee.

We are underway...

2010-02-26T22:12:00.000-05:00

Friends of Middle River is here!

Our first meeting was held tonight and many volunteers have stepped forward to make this idea a reality.

This simple blog is one of our first steps .... stay tuned for more news as we grow our new organization.

Dear Middle River Neighbors

2010-02-26T20:39:00.001-05:00

Dear Middle River Neighbors,

We are writing to ask for your help to clean up our closest waterways - the Middle River and its tributaries - by forming a "Friends of Middle River" group. We would like to invite you to an organizing event for the Friends group at Mary Baldwin College, Friday, February 26, at 4 p.m. During the meeting, we would like to hear your ideas about what a Friends of Middle River group might accomplish from education and advocacy work to hands-on clean up efforts. This event is sponsored through a partnership between the Shenandoah Pure Water Forum and Mary Baldwin College.

A detailed invitation and directions to the meeting are attached. If you will be able to attend, please RSVP by phone or email to Nesha McRae (nesha.mcrae@dcr.virginia.gov, (540)332-9238). Feel free to call or write me with questions about the meeting as well. We hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

Joe Lehnen PWF President
Bruce Dorries Mary Baldwin College